Qin Susu’s skin was as white as snow and as delicate as it could be broken by a mere touch. Under Qin Yihuan’s fierce grip, a bright red fingerprint immediately rose on her chin.
Seeing this, Qin Yihuan’s inner rage burned even hotter.
It made her recall the morning after that night, when Qin Susu’s body had been covered in interlocking red marks, reeking of heavy ambiguity.
That scene was a blatant mockery of her!
Mocking the fact that she was the proper, legitimate Crown Prince Consort, yet utterly incapable of bearing children for the Crown Prince.
That a lowly, illegitimate out-of-wedlock daughter had used her womb to bear a child with royal blood.
This realization filled Qin Yihuan with absolute humiliation.
Her eyes were filled with ruthlessness.
If Qin Susu hadn’t still been useful, Qin Susu might have genuinely believed that Qin Yihuan wanted to tear her limb from limb right then and there.
“Eldest sister,” Qin Susu whispered weakly.
Given how vast the gap was between their current statuses, no matter how much hatred she harbored in her heart, Qin Susu knew better.
At least for now, she had no choice but to endure.
Lowering her gaze and acting completely submissive, Qin Susu recounted the events of the previous night to Qin Yihuan “word for word.”
Hearing that Qin Susu had actually eaten the laced pastry a step ahead of the Crown Prince, the veins on the Crown Prince Consort’s forehead instantly bulged.
“Idiot!”
Qin Yihuan felt her fingertips itch, desperately wanting to land a hard slap across her face.
Yufang sensed her mistress’s impulse, hurriedly stepped forward, and shook her head to warn her.
Sensing the undercurrents swirling in the air, Qin Susu lowered her eyes and put on a thoroughly obedient posture.
Qin Yihuan took a deep breath. No matter how much dissatisfaction she felt, she had to suppress it now.
In any case, His Highness likely already knew that someone had drugged the pastry. Originally, if the Crown Prince had eaten it, the blame could have somehow been pinned entirely on Qin Susu.
But now…
Qin Yihuan felt a splitting headache coming on.
Even the grand, high-profile display of gifts the Crown Prince had sent over earlier made Qin Yihuan instinctively feel that His Highness was intentionally taking a jab at her.
The moment this thought crossed her mind, a dense layer of cold sweat broke out across Qin Yihuan’s forehead.
“Yufang.”
Qin Yihuan steadied her mind. She needed to go and sound out the Crown Prince’s true intentions.
But… Qin Susu.
Her gaze swept over the woman who stood with her head bowed, her expression unreadable.
“You’re coming with me.”
Without giving Qin Susu a chance to react, Qin Yihuan stood up.
Qin Susu froze and raised her head.
Seeing this, Yufang chimed in with a sarcastic tone, “What’s wrong? Does Little Attendant want our Crown Prince Consort to invite you personally?”
Yufang was Qin Yihuan’s personal maid, and in both past and present lives, she had targeted Qin Susu at every turn.
It wasn’t until the very end of her previous life that Qin Susu finally understood why.
Yufang was harboring deep resentment toward her.
If Qin Susu hadn’t existed, Qin Yihuan would have chosen someone from among her own trusted attendants to send to the Crown Prince’s bed.
Yufang possessed a fair and refined appearance; while not extraordinarily stunning, she was like a refreshing bowl of plain porridge—pleasant to taste on occasion.
Yet Qin Susu’s existence overshadowed Yufang entirely, reducing her to the level of common dirt.
It severed her last remaining chance of ever becoming a woman of the Crown Prince.
Even though Yufang concealed it well on the surface, Qin Susu had keenly sensed it.
She kept her gaze lowered, pretending as though she hadn’t noticed a thing.
In front of outsiders, Qin Yihuan had always maintained the facade of a good, caring elder sister.
Especially now.
Everyone in the Eastern Palace knew how Qin Susu had managed to secure her position as a Palace Regulation Attendant.
Along the path from Fengluan Pavilion to the front courtyard’s study, gossiping maidservants muttered behind their backs.
“It’s just that Crown Prince Consort is too kind-hearted. She summoned her younger sister into the palace, only never expecting her to end up in the Crown Prince’s bed.”
“Exactly, exactly. I bet the only reason she got the title of Palace Regulation Attendant was because His Highness gave her a pass out of respect for the Crown Prince Consort.”
Hearing these whispers fall into her ears, the remaining anger in Qin Yihuan’s heart gradually smoothed away.
Thinking of her childhood sweetheart bond with the Crown Prince, Qin Yihuan cast a nonchalant glance at Qin Susu.
Head bowed, eyes obedient—even with a pretty face, she was nothing more than a wooden beauty.
Not worth fearing.
When they arrived at the entrance of the study and saw Wei Zheng standing there with an unyielding expression, a flash of disgust crossed Qin Yihuan’s eyes.
This Wei Zheng always fancied himself as having grown up right by Pei Xuanwen’s side, treating even her, the Crown Prince Consort, with cold indifference.
Anyone else would have scrambled over to flatter her, but not this Wei Zheng…
Despite her immense dislike for him, Qin Yihuan still plastered a smile across her face as she walked up.
“Is His Highness inside?”
Wei Zheng performed a rigid, proper bow to the two mistresses before nodding. “Your Highness, His Highness is currently dealing with critical matters. I’m afraid…”
The smile on Qin Yihuan’s face froze slightly as she cut him off. “Am I not even allowed to see His Highness?”
A momentary flash of hesitation crossed Wei Zheng’s eyes. “Then please wait a moment, Your Highness.”
A full ten minutes later, Wei Zheng emerged. “Your Highness, Little Attendant, please enter.”
Qin Susu had originally intended to wait outside, but upon hearing Wei Zheng’s words, Qin Yihuan hesitated for a fraction of a second before turning to look at Qin Susu, her gaze laced with a hint of warning.
Qin Susu understood immediately. Keeping her submissive posture, she followed right behind Qin Yihuan as they stepped inside.
Thus, she missed the deeply complex look Wei Zheng cast her way just as she passed him.
When Wei Zheng had gone in to report to Pei Xuanwen moments earlier, the Crown Prince had initially refused to see the Crown Prince Consort.
However, the moment Wei Zheng added that Palace Regulation Attendant Qin was also present, the Crown Prince changed his mind.
Having followed Pei Xuanwen for so many years, this was the first time Wei Zheng had ever encountered such a situation.
Qin Susu knew nothing of the little exchange that had just taken place inside the study.
Following behind Qin Yihuan, she stepped across the threshold. Before the Crown Prince’s figure even came into view, a rich, lingering fragrance of aloeswood drifted toward them.
That scent was heavy and majestic, seeping thread by thread into the scholarly atmosphere of the room, inexplicably causing one’s breathing to tighten slightly.
She stood with her head lowered beside the multi-tiered curio cabinet, her peripheral vision catching a dark, imposing silhouette standing behind the floor-to-ceiling bookshelf against the west wall.
Candlelight leaked through the gaps in the shelves, casting his sharp outline onto the opposite wall—his shoulder line straight, his spine upright, exuding the absolute majesty of the imperial family.
Qin Susu could not see his face clearly; she could only catch a glimpse of his lower jawline through the gap between the books, held taut and cold.
“This concubine pays her respects to Your Highness.”
Seeing this, Qin Susu hurriedly followed Qin Yihuan’s lead and bowed.
The shadow shifted slightly as Pei Xuanwen turned around.
Qin Susu immediately dropped her gaze, yet in that single glance, she could still feel his intense, tangible gaze sweep over her.
“Mm, rise.”
Pei Xuanwen spoke indifferently, putting down the book he had been holding.
Qin Yihuan stepped forward, her tone carrying a practiced familiarity. Viewed from Qin Susu’s angle, Yihuan’s cheeks were flushed with a rosy hue, clearly exhibiting the look of a maiden gazing upon her beloved.
The beloved?
That made things all the more interesting.
Qin Susu’s eyes flickered. Her soft, long lashes cast a few shadows before she slowly lifted her gaze.
Her doe-like apricot eyes held a hint of timidity as they inadvertently brushed against Pei Xuanwen before she bit her lip and lowered her gaze once more.
Just as Qin Susu had anticipated, Pei Xuanwen’s gaze was reeled right in by her.
Just as Qin Yihuan was about to open her mouth, Pei Xuanwen lifted his heavy eyelids.
“Crown Prince Consort, did you come here to explain to Us about that Aphrodisiac Powder?”
In an instant, Qin Yihuan’s lips parted, but her face turned as pale as paper.